Top participants of the just concluded Zenith Bank Women’s Basketball League have showered praises on the sponsors for increasing the prize money of the annual competition.
On Wednesday, First Bank Basketball team, retained their title after defeating youthful Dolphins 84 – 66 points in a final match decided at the Sports Hall of the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos.
In the third place game played between Customs Basketball Club defeated new entrants to the league, MFM basketball team 57 – 49 to win the bronze.
The winners, First Bank apart from the trophy won, also collected N1.5m for their efforts, Dolphins won N1.2m apart from the second-placed trophy while Customs were N1m richer for winning bronze.
Last year the cash rewards were N1m, N500,000 and N250,000 for the first three winners.
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Skipper Nkechi Akashili of First Bank said it was good initiative by the sponsors, Zenith Bank, despite the league being played in an abridged format.
“Zenith Bank did very well. Nobody saw that coming and we are all happy because it affected the top three teams,” Akashili said.
Bintu Badmus, skipper of Dolphins, also said the increase was encouraging for all the teams to work harder for next season’s tournament.
“We will all work hard for the first place prize next year because this one is very good for us,” she said.
MFM coach, Adewunmi Aderemi , also praised the sponsors for engaging the youths despite the crisis in the federation.
Many people believed the competition would not take place but somehow, we were able to have it. I am happy that the tournament was a good eye opener for my youthful team. The sponsors did very well,” Aderemi said.